Trees in parks and gardens 2010

[cohan]

some of those golden Salix sp in the distance..

edit--sorry to anyone who already looked at the pics in these two posts--i forgot to use the smallest pics; all changed now.. c
full photo sets at picasa link below

[arilnut]

Hi Jamie. Here are a few of my favorite trees in the yard

John B

Guys and Gals,

we really do need to maintain a thread simply about trees!  These are simply one of the most magnificent creations of mother nature and, even for those that only really nurture the small and meek of the rock garden, cannot be relegated to the non existentsia.  What would our gardens be, without but a few stately arbourvitae.  We should maintain a thread for these centenary wonders, even if they play only a minor role for many.  After all, without them we wouldn't be able to breathe!

Paddy,  I want some seeds!   

Seriously, we all have selected a few trees to balance our gardens.  We should report on their seasonal beauty.  Finding the best possible tree for a specific position is best conveyed through other members experience, don't you all agree?

[Regelian]

John,

nice to see the flowering cherry-plum, Prunus cerassifera, still being planted.  I lost my 45 year old 'Nigra' last season, but it was old for this species, which rarely seems to reach 40!  Do you know what cultivar you have?  There are several with dark foliage, but the fruits and flowers are all a bit different.  I've never seen them side by side, so I don't know how pregnant the differences are.  The fruits are quite edible, if a bit sour until completely ripe.  Really is more of a cherry than a plum.

The only largish tree I now have is a Liriodendron tulipifera 'Aureo-Marginata', which is very fastigiate for the species, as well as slow growing and having wonderful foliage.  It will eventually get larger than the Paulownia tormentosa.

[Gail]

One of my favourite smaller trees is the Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum), I love the way the flowers emerge straight from the branches.  I have the white version too but it's leaves got badly frosted this year.

Just emerging now are the leaves on my Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus).  I like the distinctive grey bloom on the new shoots of this tree.  I'm sure it will eventually get too big for where I've planted it but it is slow growing so I can enjoy it for some years yet.  Has anyone actually tried making coffee from one?

[Maggi Young]

I think that the majority of available cultivars of Gymnocladus dioicus are male plants so not likely that many will achieve pods .... just as well because the seeds contain toxins that are pretty nasty.

[Paddy Tobin]

Gail,

I have a small plant of the Kentucky Coffee Tree, wonderful foliage but very slow growing, as you say.

Paddy

[Olga Bondareva]

Mark,
your Chionanthus virginicus is incredible! I like the tree very much and have a young one but it has still never flowered.

[Rob]

Is this a Kentucky coffee tree?

If it is, how hardy are they, as I had another about the same size that died over the winter.

[TheOnionMan]

Thanks Maggi for separating out a Tree thread... YAY!

One that I find myself photographing through the season is Acer shirasawanum 'Autumn Moon', it is just an ever changing carnival of color.  Don't let the 'Autum Moon' fool you into thinking color is just the fall, it could just as well be called "spring moon" or "summer moon".  In early spring the leaves emerge a hot coral pink color, from afar giving the impression of an azalea in bloom!  Later the leaves become brilliant yellow and gold, tinged and shaded red and orange.  It is fantastic right now.  In summer, the yellow orange-tinged foliage color remains strong, not reverting to green, an uncommon ability to retain strong color throughout the season.  In fall the color is an intense orange.  WOW!

This is a small bushy Acer, with full circular fan leaves with up to 8 sharp lobes.  I'll be needing to move plants out from under or near the tree, as it is encroaching upon them... I'm happy to do so and give it sufficient room.

[TheOnionMan]

Mark,
your Chionanthus virginicus is incredible! I like the tree very much and have a young one but it has still never flowered.

Olga, then I suppose you don't know the sex of the tree yet.  I noticed someone in our neighborhood has a female tree, the female flowers not as showy but lasting *much* longer than those of my male tree.

[Olga Bondareva]

Mark
Moreover, I am not sure it is Chionanthus.  I have to make image of leaves and show here.

[Olga Bondareva]

I like new conifer shoots.

Picea pungens Bialobok


Picea abies Acrocona Nana


Picea pungens Baby Blue Eyes


My friend's Witch Broom grafting named Vdokhnovenie (Inspiration)

[Lars S]

Yes Rob, itīs looks like a Kentucky coffee. I have got a small tree in my garden here in Stockholm that has been growing quite happily for three or four years so it seems to be quite cold hardy. It grows very slow though, but I think thatīs normal.  It is leafs out rather late in spring (about now) at least here in Sweden.

[Philip MacDougall]

Davidia involucrata at UBC. The flower in my hand is the sanoma form, a whip in my garden. This form, if the nursery hype is to be believed, has flowers 3 times the size of the typical form and blooms at 3 or 4 years in the ground instead of the typical 10 to 20. I'm a believer.

[Philip MacDougall]

And another tree. Sorry. Melliodendron xylocarpum flowering at UBC. Extraordinary tree but difficult to capture the beauty in a photo. Close to Styrax. Will have find a source for these. Philip